Best marathon: 2:23:57 (2007, St. George). Won the Top of Utah Marathon twice (2003,2004). Won the USATF LDR circuit in Utah in 2006.

Draper Days 5 K 15:37 (2004)

Did not know this until June 2012, but it turned out that I've been running with spina bifida occulta in L-4 vertebra my entire life, which explains the odd looking form, struggles with the top end speed, and the poor running economy (cannot break 16:00 in 5 K without pushing the VO2 max past 75).

Short-Term Running Goals:

Qualify for the US Olympic Trials. With the standard of 2:19 on courses with the elevation drop not exceeding 450 feet this is impossible unless I find an uncanny way to compensate for the L-4 defect with my muscles. But I believe in miracles.

Long-Term Running Goals:

2:08 in the marathon. Become a world-class marathoner. This is impossible unless I find a way to fill the hole in L-4 and make it act healthy either by growing the bone or by inserting something artificial that is as good as the bone without breaking anything important around it. Science does not know how to do that yet, so it will take a miracle. But I believe in miracles.

Personal:

I was born in 1973. Grew up in Moscow, Russia. Started running in 1984 and so far have never missed more than 3 consecutive days. Joined the LDS Church in 1992, and came to Provo, Utah in 1993 to attend BYU. Served an LDS mission from 1994-96 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Got married soon after I got back. My wife Sarah and I are parents of eleven children: Benjamin, Jenny, Julia, Joseph, Jacob, William, Stephen, Matthew, Mary, Bella. and Leigha. We home school our children.

I am a software engineer/computer programmer/hacker whatever you want to call it, and I am currently working for RedX. Aside from the Fast Running Blog, I have another project to create a device that is a good friend for a fast runner. I called it Fast Running Friend.

Favorite Quote:

...if we are to have faith like Enoch and Elijah we must believe what they believed, know what they knew, and live as they lived.

A.M. All kids except Benjamin rested for the cross-country meet tonight. Benjamin ran 2 miles out with me, and 2 miles back, total of 4. I did total of 12. Picked up in the last 0.5 to about 5:40 pace, but it was a harder effort because it was uphill.

P.M. Cross-country meet at Kiwani's Park. 3 K distance. Benjamin won overall with 10:42. Grant Gardner was second with 10:49. They both improved from the last time when it was 10:54/11:04, but Benjamin stayed ahead. There was a rabbit that got Benjamin going at a good pace early for the first 1 K or so, and he pulled away from Grant. But then Benjamin felt the pace was too fast and eased off to rest. This was enough for Grant to catch up. Then Benjamin rested behind him for some time and turned it on with about 800 to go as he usually does. This was enough to create a 7 second gap, but not enough to break 10:30 which we hoped for. Still 10:42 is his cross-country 3 K PR and an improvement of 50 seconds compared to last year. It might actually be a course record in for youth in the recent years - at least I do not recall a faster time.

Joseph did quite well. His assignment was to break 14:00, win the Sub-bantams, and run in contact with John Hunter or Malcolm Stewart (top Bantam boys). He was not in contact the entire race, and he was not even leading the Sub-bantam race with 300 to go, but in the last 300 he kicked, passed Jayden Fitzgerald (leading Sub-bantam boy), and dipped under 14:00 by 2 seconds - 13:58. He improved his 3 K time by 14 seconds since the last race. John was ahead of him by about 10 seconds, and Malcolm beat him by quite a bit with the time of 13:05. But those boys are at least 2 years older, so that's OK for now.

Jenny struggled today again, but less than in the 4 K, and ran a better time - 14:39 taking 3rd place in the Midget girls. Jacob ran a solid race finishing with 15:19 and taking 3rd in Sub-bantams. Julia struggled again and ran 15:42, which gave her 4th place in the Bantam girls.

It was quite a challenge to keep track of all five kids in the same race.

Afterwards Benjamin took William for 0.5 miles.

Green Crocs 4 Miles: 12.00

Night Sleep Time: 8.00

Nap Time: 0.00

Total Sleep Time: 8.00

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